At JANZEN, everything we do starts with a clear idea. Our fragrances and home products are inspired by the natural world; carefully crafted and thoughtfully designed, with attention in every detail. It’s a mindset that shapes not only what we create, but how we work. So when we set our sights on expanding into Germany, we approached it in the same way: with focus, confidence, and the right partners by our side.
Germany is our neighbor. Geographically, it couldn't be closer, but legally and administratively, it's a completely different world. What we didn't want was to spend months navigating incorporation and employment law in a country we'd never hired in before.
We're a team of 40 and we move fast, but we move smart. Setting up a Germany entity would have pulled focus, budget, and energy away from our search for top talent.
What nobody tells you about hiring in Germany
Germany has some of the most intricate employment laws in Europe. Works councils, strict notice periods, statutory benefits, social contribution requirements, local compliance obligations — it's a landscape that takes years to master, and we didn’t want to lose momentum.
As the person responsible for both HR and finance at JANZEN, it was on me to figure out the best path forward. And the more I learned about employment compliance in Germany, the more it felt like standing on quicksand.
I’m not an employment lawyer who specializes in German law, and I didn't need to become one. What I needed was a partner who was. That's what brought us to G-P.
The first 30 days in Germany
Within 30 days of partnering with G-P as our employer of record (EOR), we onboarded our first employee in Germany. G-P’s Global Employment Platform did the heavy lifting, but the people behind it made sure we were moving in the right direction.
The moment you add a new employee on the G-P platform, a team member is right there to walk you through every step of the onboarding process in Germany — contracts, probationary periods, benefits setup — making sure nothing is missed. For someone managing HR without a large team behind me, that kind of hands-on guidance in an unfamiliar market is invaluable.
Partnering with G-P gave us access to the expertise we needed. Having a knowledgeable partner handle German employment compliance meant we could focus on finding the right people, without the constant second-guessing.
Our employees in Germany also had their own dedicated G-P point of contact — an HR expert based in the country, who understood local norms and could answer their questions directly. JANZEN takes care of its people, and we needed to know our team in Germany felt just as supported as everyone else, even from across the border.
Zero payroll errors. Every time.
Payroll in Germany is complex. Between tax classes, social insurance contributions, and statutory leave entitlements, the margin for error is real. Since we started working with G-P, we haven't had a single payroll issue. Every payment to every employee in Germany has been accurate and on time.
For a finance coordinator, that's not a small thing — that's the foundation of a partnership you can actually rely on. Payroll is accurate, onboarding is smooth, and whenever we have a question, we get a fast and clear answer. It's exactly what you want from a partner.
Recently, I’ve explored Gia, G-P's AI-powered global HR agent. Even from our initial tutorial, it was clear the tool is purpose-built for HR: it delivers vetted answers to employment law questions by country with speed and precision. For an HR team of one, that kind of focus is exactly what I need. Our European footprint is still growing, but I can already see Gia becoming a bigger part of how I work as we scale.
What I'd tell other HR managers considering hiring in Germany
Germany was the beginning for us. JANZEN continues to grow across Europe, and knowing we have G-P by our side allows us to move into new markets with confidence.
G-P is the kind of partner you want. Knowledgeable, responsive, and invested in making things work — at every level of the team.
If you're a lean team with big ambitions, my advice is simple: don't let employment complexity slow you down. Find partners who've already solved it.